Ever since my childhood I believed in fairy tales and dream weddings where princes used to come on white horses, brides wore shimmery outfits and bridesmaids sang bridal chorus. In my Cinderella dreams when fairy God mother adorned me a blue gown and glass shoes, I used to wear a white sequined chiffon veil along with them, as I was so very fascinated about the concept of the Big Indian Wedding. That little dreamer in me was always keen in getting dressed in those voluptuous lehangas, sensuous dupattas and glittering jewellery as a bride wears in every other family wedding. I used to tell mom to bring me the smilar lehangas like my cousin’s and other relatives and she even pampered me with them.
But every fairy tale has a harsh twist or rather say, a wimpish turn. On that fateful day when a 7 year old me was dressed in a beautiful bride-look-a-like-attire on a family wedding, a neighborhood aunt called me a little dusky bride and laughed. No one in my family ever had made me realize that I was not as fair as other girl’s in the family. I was pampered by my parents as if I was the most beautiful girl in this universe. However, that aunt made fun of me by saying that no prince would ever marry me because of my dark complexion. And the irony of that day was that the bride was crying because she was leaving her home and I was crying being called ‘dark’ and a ‘not so perspective bride’.
That day, a dream was dealt with cruelty and ended up with harsh reality. 🙁 My fairytale was crushed under the cruel feet of colour-discrimination. I cried the whole night and to console me mom asked me to watch the YRF movie ‘Dil Wale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge’. She made me realize very tactfully how YRF dream bride Kajol looked the most beautiful bride in the movie despite being ‘dusky’ and ‘not so conventionally beautiful’. She even bought me a similar gold-peach lehanga Kajol adorned in that emotional yet timeless scene of the movie when [highlight]Simran (Kajol)[/highlight] dressed as a bride confesses her love for [highlight]Raj (Shah Rukh)[/highlight] in front of her father. I adorned that lehanga in 2000 as a 9 year old in the next family wedding and everyone appreciated me calling little Kajol.
[highlight]That was my emotional connect with a YRF dream bride…[/highlight]
From then on, my mom made me confident in my skin. She also made me realize that being brazen, brown and dusky shouldn’t demean one’s aura as it’s one’s inner beauty and confidence that radiates ultimately. Kudos to the YRF dream bride who no matter what skin color she has (the dusky beauties like [highlight]Kajol, Rani [/highlight]and [highlight]Bipasha[/highlight] or the fair ones like [highlight]Aishwarya, Kareena[/highlight] and [highlight]Katrina [/highlight]and many more…) always oozes out oomph.
I wish I could look the same beautiful bride like a YRF dream bride and possess an eclectic extravaganza that is a Diva’ni lehanga on my D-day that is yet to come and, to enchant my price-charming who is yet to arrive in the realm of my fairytales, fancies and finest clothing. ^_^
My journey of being confident, charismatic and beautiful from that demure, suppressed and under-confident girl makes me the perfect YRF dream bride who can set an example that every girl is beautiful in her skin no matter what complexion she has.
This blog post features a real life story which is also an entry to the YRF dream bride contest on Diva’ni facebook page in association with Yash Raj Films.
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This was a beautiful read ! And I have dusky skin and I can so relate to this plus I too have always dreamt of being a YRF bride 😀 . Btw you look absolutely sparkling in the last picture :**
Thank you so much for such lovely words dear Najm. Of course, it’s not our dusky skin but our inner radiance that should make a difference. You are a pure soul and you deserve all the goodness of life like any other bride does. :*
Hii
Firstly, let me compliment you U are beautiful , and this was a very wonderful read , and I personally believe that complexion diminishes with raising age ..so if someone selecting their partners based on complexion are fools..bcoz after certain years we all will be looking same – “OLD” – so nature matters and not complexion…
Very nice to read ur story too !!
Thanks for sharing !!!
Have a wonderful week ahead
Thank you so much Bhavikk. Your kind words are really meaningful and mean a lot to me. 🙂 Super agree with you, complexion does diminish with age and at the end it’s your inner aura that radiates. Cheers!
You are so beautiful! I’m so glad that your mother helped you overcome those immature and unkind comments made by that lady when you were a child.
Thank you so much Kal. Indeed, she was and is my fairy God mother in disguise :’)
You look lovely!
Don’t listen to anyone who doesn’t believe/say so.
Best wishes!
Thank you so much for those kind words Anita. They mean a lot <3
You look ravishing like any YRF heroine. Your post reminded me of my childhood days.
Thank you so much Saru 🙂
Nice rewind there 🙂 Best of luck, and may no prince choose based on complexion 🙂
Very true that Teny… thanks for the encouragement 🙂
oh my my… now look at my girl… so pretty… god bless and may all your dreams come true… much love 🙂
Awww.. thank you so much my dear Archana <3 :*
Enjoyed reading it. I’m sure you’ll meet your prince charming. He’ll fall on your long hair. And remember Draupadi was also dusky but most beautiful women ever born. 🙂
Very true that Ravish… thank you so much for all the support and appreciation… that really means a lot 🙂
Nice. Enjoyed reading it. 🙂
Thanks much Somali 🙂
A great entry for the contest! Wish you luck!
Thanks a lot Indrani 🙂
beautiful story of yours and the narration too, you look very pretty and just the YRF next pick i must say 🙂
Aww… thank you so much dear Shweta… that means a lot! <3